To: UMBC Campus Community

Fr: Winnie Schwartzbeck
Office of Food Services/Campus Card Administration

Re: Departmental Card Use in the Skylight Room

Effective July 1, 2005, the Skylight Room will only accept Departmental Cards (D Cards) and/or cash in payment of University related events, which in the past have been charged to chartstring and/or foundation accounts on a Special Affairs Worksheet (SAW). (Reminder, you may not use the D Card for personal meals.)

The D Card does provide the necessary billing and reconciliation processes. It will also shorten the entry time into the Skylight Room.

We came to this conclusion after a thorough cost analysis of processing an event on a Special Affairs Worksheet(SAW). The total administrative cost of processing an SAW for one $7.75 meal at the Skylight Room is $70.

At the time of purchase, you present the D Card to the cashier, and the appropriate amount of money will be deducted from your D Card account. The remaining balance will be visible at this time.

Please remember to ask for a receipt at the end of your purchase for your records. Support documentation will still need to be completed and retained with your records.

D Cards are available through the Campus Card Office, located on the first floor of the University Center.

Please call Food Services on extension 5-2188 if you have further questions or concerns or experience any problems. We will work with you to ensure that your event will be a successful and pleasurable one.

By Steffany Magid

This month, the UMBC chapter of the Golden Key International Honor Society will commemorate ten years of academic achievement and active commitment to the community. “We are having a terrific spring semester,” said Mark Terranova, associate director for service-learning in the Shriver Center and Golden Key co-advisor. “Not only is the chapter celebrating an anniversary, we also recently received an award for our initiatives around the 2004 elections.”

The UMBC chapter of Golden Key was recognized by the Golden Key national headquarters for its work during the Help America Vote College Program (HAVCP). As the Eastern division winners, the chapter was awarded $750 to support its education-based service activities, along with letters of recognition from the national headquarters and President Bush. The chapter advisors will present the award to UMBC Golden Key members during a reception on May 2.

In addition, scholarships will be granted to the four most active Golden Key student members for 2004-05, and graduating officers will be recognized for their service. The chapter will also acknowledge its honorary members, including faculty and staff from UMBC and members of the community, for their support of Golden Key initiatives over the years.

Founding advisor Lynn Zimmerman, professor of biological sciences and vice provost for academic initiatives, will be honored at the reception for her ten years of service to the organization. She will also be presented with an award during a special advisors banquet at the Golden Key International Leadership Conference this August in Los Angeles.

Golden Key is an international academic honors organization dedicated to excellence in scholarship, leadership and service. The society recruits students from all disciplines, uniting the talents of a diverse undergraduate member corps from the United States, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Africa. The UMBC chapter currently has over 500 members and about 30 honorary members.

UMBC’s Golden Key, one of the most active chapters in the Mid-Atlantic region, is involved in many community service projects both on and off campus, including regular volunteering at Villa Maria Children's Center; participation in AIDS Walk; Into the Streets, an annual volunteer day designed to get students involved in their communities; and many others. The chapter also hosts events to recognize the accomplishments of outstanding students, including the annual Sophomore Social, Student Showcase at the Honorary Members Reception and the New Member Recognition Ceremony. The chapter has been awarded several prestigious Key Chapter Awards at the society’s international conventions, where UMBC members have presented workshops and displays every year since 1996.

The UMBC chapter of the Golden Key International Honor Society will celebrate its tenth anniversary on Monday, May 2 in the Commons Cabaret from 1 to 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the UMBC community.

By Charles Rose

Kevin Omland, assistant professor of biological sciences, discusses Maryland’s State bird, the Baltimore Oriole, which migrate back to our region near the start of the season for the baseball playing O’s.

What are the criteria for determining whether an organism is a new species?

We look for three or five pieces of evidence. For example, distinct appearance, plumage, color differentiation, an especially distinct pattern or marking, and so on, plus we also sequence DNA.

Our raven work is the closest we’ve come to finding a new species. We studied a form of raven in California that was so genetically different from ravens elsewhere in the world but gave absolutely no hint of that in its exterior appearance, behavior, or calls. In the end we found that if the only thing that’s distinct is DNA, then it’s not enough to be a new species.

How long does DNA sequencing take and can you do it here at UMBC?

Yes, our lab manages the DNA sequencing facility for whole university. Our undergraduate and graduate students learn all the skills required to sequence. In fact, one of our graduate students runs the DNA sequencing equipment and does about 99 percent of the sequencing work for UMBC.

You can teach a bright undergraduate student to sequence DNA in about two weeks, from the first feather or muscle sample to editing the final data on the computer.

Your previous work with ravens has shown that they are remarkably resilient, clever and adaptable to the encroachment of mankind on their habitat. Could you give some examples?

Well, ravens in the Mojave Desert really take advantage of dairy farms as a water source – they’ve learned to drink from cattle troughs. Ravens in urban areas are also very willing to do dumpster diving for everything from Pizza Hut crusts to parking lot French fries. Of course ravens also cruise up and down highways for miles in search of road kill.

Will you and your students be in the field this summer?

Yes. Baltimore Orioles return to Maryland from wintering in Mexico and Latin America around May 1. So we’re gearing up -- ordering nets, binoculars and learning bird calls.

Where’s the best Oriole watching site at UMBC?

We will be studying Baltimore Orioles on campus near Pig Pen Pond. They stay high up in the treetops but they’ll be there.

I’ve always thought that the pond next to the UMBC Library was another good habitat with its big trees and water source, but they don’t use it. Orioles can be like humans, I guess, in that they seem to use each other as an index of which neighborhood is a good place to settle.

Were you a birdwatcher growing up?

Yes, I grew up in the country in Vermont and my parents were always camping and hiking with us. We always had a bird feeder in the yard or would gather around the back window to see deer or wild turkeys. I’ve always been drawn to the outdoors and wildlife.

Why did you decide to study orioles and ravens in particular?

We picked the Baltimore Oriole because it has such interesting feather coloration. The male has that wonderful, bright, almost fluorescent orange color. In contrast there’s the orchard oriole which is much more chestnut colored.

I wondered why there’s such color variation in oriole males from one species to other and why female Baltimore orioles are so dull colored. Both sexes of tropical oriole species found in Mexico have very bright coloring. We have a five-year National Science Foundation grant to study oriole coloration, particularly in females.

We thought ravens were perfect for studying speciation since they’re found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The Common Raven is found from Siberia through Alaska, Norway, Canada and on to the U.S. Because of this wide distribution, we suspected this species might show high levels of genetic diversity.

We also correctly suspected that the Chihuahuan Raven of the U.S. Southwest wasn’t genetically distinct from the Common Raven. For our fast breaking paper, we showed that of the 2,000 animal species we surveyed, 23 percent didn’t have distinct mitochondrial DNA. So ravens are the bird poster child of why DNA distinction is not enough to declare a new species.

So where are your favorite bird watching spots in the region?

On campus I’d say Pig Pen Pond or CERA. You can spot great birds at UMBC -- owls, wood ducks and of course the most charismatic bird of all, the Baltimore Oriole.

Another good place is the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge off the Baltimore Washington Parkway. The National Wildlife Visitors Center there is a great place to go.

By Jack Prostko, Director, Faculty Development Center

While not everyone at UMBC visits a Blackboard site daily, most professors now regularly use this course management system, if only to post a syllabus or announcements or grades. Indeed, students have become so comfortable with accessing course information on Blackboard that in my focus group interviews with them, they frequently request that their professors use Blackboard if they aren’t already doing so. Having materials, assignments, handouts, and communications organized on an easily accessible location can make life easier for students and, though it initially requires an investment of time, saves faculty time and energy in the long run.

But Blackboard offers the opportunity to use the Web as more than just a virtual bulletin board for housekeeping details. Many faculty are exploring ways of expanding their use of the out-of-class teaching occasions, using the Web to create “hybrid” or blended courses. Hybrid courses combine face-to-face meetings times--perhaps one to two hours a week or every other week--with online class sessions.

Hybrid courses allow for much greater flexibility in the way both faculty and students use information and communicate with each other. Especially in small courses with group projects, extensive research, or field work, this flexibility allows students to pursue their own work on their own schedules while keeping pace with the course content delivered through online lectures or readings. Discussion groups, either synchronous or asynchronous, can help students collaborate on assignments and can provide documented feedback to both the student and the instructor.

Hybrid courses are not, however, simply regular courses with some added “computer time.” Faculty who have chosen to develop these blended courses say that they began by examining their goals for a course, and saw that using Blackboard resources could enhance those objectives. Unless there are specific reasons to think that Web-based resources and communications can better achieve a learning goal, then it may be wise to avoid the temptation to use technology options only because they’re available.

Having a clear reason to invest effort in creating a hybrid course will help you accept the inevitable investment of time, both in developing and in teaching the course. Most faculty who teach such courses readily admit that though hybrid courses have advantages, requiring less of a faculty member’s time isn’t one of them. There are upfront commitments, including gathering materials, developing new assignments, and perhaps producing video lectures. And commenting on student participation demands considerable time at the computer. For these reasons, experienced faculty suggest that those interested in experimenting with hybrid courses start with small classes--or find TA or other support.

For faculty interested in learning more about hybrid courses, one good place to start is by hearing from colleagues who have already traveled this road. On April 6, three UMBC professors from three different disciplines--Dr. Linda Oliva, (Education), Dr. Carolyn Seaman (Information Systems), and Dr. Brian McGuire (Emergency Health Services)--discussed “What It’s Like to Teach an Online or Hybrid Course.” Part of the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Brownbag series of lunchtime talks, this session is available online, along with past TLT events. These three professors describe the advantages and some of the disadvantages of teaching blended courses, including how these courses affect student learning, student participation, and academic achievement.

Finally, the Office of Summer, Winter and Special Programs (OSWSP) is piloting a new program to increase the number of hybrid and online courses offered during special sessions. Information about grants available through participation in this program is available online. The deadline for submitting proposals is May 13.

Resources:

Hybrid Course Links:

A list of various university courses and resources.

Brown, D. (ed.). (2000). Interactive Learning: Vignettes from America’s Most Wired Campuses. Bolton, MA: Anker.

Brown, D. (ed.). (2000). Teaching with Technology: Seventy-five Professors from Eight Universities Tell their Stories. Bolton, MA: Anker.

Comeaux, P. (ed.) (2002). Communication and Collaboration in the Online Classroom: Examples and Applications. Bolton, MA: Anker.

Conrad, R. and Donaldson, J. (2004) Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

By Steffany Magid

Ranked sixth in the nation for “diverse student population” by the Princeton Review in 2001, UMBC has students from 45 states and 91 foreign countries. Minorities make up 37 percent of the undergraduate student body, and international students account for over 20 percent of graduate students. “However, just as important as the level of diversity on campus is what we choose to do with it,” said Arlene Wergin, director of International Education Services.

To provide a more cohesive picture of the diversity at UMBC and the steps students and faculty are taking to bridge cultural gaps, the Campus Coordination Committee for Culture and Diversity (CCCCD) recently launched the International/Intercultural Resources (I/I) Web site. A project inspired by the creation of UMBC’s new Mosaic Culture and Diversity Center, the I/I site is intended to encourage better and more effective cross-campus discussions and raise awareness about issues affecting us at home and abroad.

An information hub for students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and other institutions interested in learning more about related campus resources and services, the Web site provides visitors with links to academic programs with overarching themes of diversity and culture and campus organizations that represent the needs and interests of our diverse student body.

In keeping with the goals of an honors university, many of UMBC’s academic departments have diversified curricula to incorporate coursework on international and cultural topics. Merit-based programs like the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, the CWIT Scholars Program and the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program also aim to strengthen campus diversity and build community ties, while research programs reach out to international faculty, graduate students and partner institutions who greatly contribute to UMBC’s reputation as a dynamic research university.

Celebrating campus diversity and the unique opportunities it affords students and faculty of different backgrounds to collaborate, the I/I site is a one-stop shop for the UMBC community members and visitors interested in learning about making connections in an interdependent world.

For more information or to provide feedback on the International/Intercultural Resources Web site, contact international@umbc.edu.

By Kim Harris

Susan Bosley, executive administrative assistant in the Office of the President, and David Daniel, associate director of marketing, Office of Institutional Advancement, have been named Employees of the Quarter.

A 29-year veteran of UMBC, Susan Bosley is the non-exempt Employee of the Quarter. Bosley transferred from a position with the Physical Plant to the President’s Office in 1994. Serving as the first point of contact for the busy office, Bosely answers telephone calls, greets visitors and assists students, parents and the campus community with inquiries and resolving problems. She recently received flowers from a grateful student.

Bosley was nominated for the award by Nancy Abell, executive administrative assistant in the Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance. “Sue has a professional and customer service attitude and represents the campus well to all who stop in or call that office for assistance,” said Abell.

Active in a variety of campus activities, Bosley was elected president of the Classified Staff Senate for two terms, served as a senator and helped to create the Non-Exempt Excluded Senate. In addition, she has volunteered for various events and participated in several search committees.

Bosley is currently completing her Early Childhood Certification at the Community College of Baltimore County, and eventually hopes to teach preschool. She also volunteers as a tutor for the Dyslexic Mentoring Program.

David Daniel joined the Office of Institutional Advancement four years ago, and since then has demonstrated tremendous growth and has taken on increasing responsibility for complex and important projects. Miriam Tillman, assistant vice president, marketing and creative services, said, “From a customer service perspective, Dave’s approach is so positive and his thinking so sharp that people seek him out for advice and ask to work with him.

“Dave and Lee Hawthorne of the Office of Student Life developed a unique initiative to form a Student Marketers group,” said Tillman. “The outcomes of this and other collaborations Dave has led between marketing and student life have been so successful and unusual on a college campus that he and Lee were invited to present at the American Marketing Association conference last year. Their report was subsequently printed in a national admissions marketing publication.” Daniel also worked with Student Life leadership to develop a graphic identity for their department, and the recently launched “Make UMBC Yours” newspaper wrap and marketing campaign.

Each Employee of the Quarter recipient will receive a check for $500, a personalized parking space, one day of administrative leave, a certificate, his/her name on the Employee of the Quarter plaque and an invitation to the annual luncheon for all the recipients.

Human Resources thanks everyone who nominated an employee for the award and encourages the campus community to nominate employees you feel are deserving of this award. Previous nominations received will be eligible for consideration for one year from the date received.

The next Employee of the Quarter recipients will be selected in June. Nomination forms and more information can be found at www.umbc.edu/hr/EOQ.html.

By Elizabeth Mosely

On May 11, UMBC will unveil its second statue and rename the Social Sciences Building to the Janet and Walter Sondheim Hall. The sculpture and building dedication will be a permanent tribute honoring the Sondheims’ life-long involvement in public service in Baltimore. The ceremony also recognizes the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program, which has 42 Scholars who want to become effective leaders in government, non-profits, corporations and the community.

Construction for the sculpture is underway--near the northeast corner of the Social Sciences building. The sculpture’s foundation will be a small, intimate, circular bluestone plaza with three granite benches into which quotes from Mr. Sondheim are carved. A life-size bronze sculpture of Sondheim will stand beside a bench as though inviting viewers to sit. Plaques with biographical information about the couple will be installed inside and outside of the building.

The sculptor, Tobias Mendez, was chosen by a selection committee consisting of Lisa Akchin, associate vice president of marketing and public relations; Sandra Dzija, director of institutional communications; Symmes Gardner, director of Center for Art and Visual Culture; Kathy O’Dell, associate professor and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Sandy Parker, associate professor of geography, Campus Landscape and Stewardship Committee representative; Joe Rexing, director of physical plant; and Mary Ann Mears, a prominent local artist and 2005 UMBC Honorary Degree recipient. Private donations funded the sculpture and plaques.

On May 11, at 4 p.m. in, in the Administration Building, Lecture Hall 3, there will be a conversation with Walter Sondheim, hosted by Marc Steiner, WYPR radio host and executive vice president, and followed by the ribbon-cutting and reception at 5 p.m. in the open area in front of Sondheim Hall. Everyone is invited. RSVP by May 2 to presrsvp@umbc.edu or 410-455-2274.

By Jenny O'Grady

UMBC honored members of the Bearman family at an on-campus reception April 18 for their $1 million commitment to establish The Bearman Family Chair in Entrepreneurship at UMBC. The gift, made by the Herbert Bearman Foundation, is the first endowed chair established by a former faculty member, Arlene Bearman, who taught in the Administrative and Managerial Sciences Program for many years.

UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski, members of the President's Council, and an array of faculty, staff and friends were on hand to toast Arlene and Sheldon Bearman for their contribution to the study of entrepreneurship at UMBC.

"Professor Bearman has given so much to UMBC through her many years of service to the University," said President Hrabowski, who presented the Bearmans with a framed certificate of appreciation. "We are grateful to the Bearman family for its investment in UMBC's future. They are truly generous people who have made an extraordinary gift."

The Bearman Foundation also supports UMBC's First-Year Seminars, which has enabled the University to offer more courses and give more first-year students the opportunity to learn in a seminar-style setting. The seminars focus on extending a student's grasp of the issues related to justice, equity, tolerance and scholarship.

The Bearman Family Chair in Entrepreneurship will add depth to the University's Alex.Brown Center for Entrepreneurship, which attracts students from a wide variety of disciplines, promoting entrepreneurial spirit and study. The Center also houses the new ACTIVATE program, which is designed to develop more women as successful entrepreneurs.

By Steffany Magid

CWIT’s Beth Perlman and Shirley Collier Receive Top 100 Women Award

Beth Perlman, chief information officer of Constellation Energy Group, and Shirley Collier, president and CEO of Optemax, both members of the Center for Women and Information Technology’s external advisory board, were recognized by the Daily Record with “Top 100 Women” awards. The annual award program is designed to recognize Maryland women who have achieved professional success and contributed to bettering the communities in which they work and live. This is the third award for Collier and the final time she can be recognized, so a special tribute will be given to her. The award ceremony will be held on May 18 at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Adriana Fonesca Named America East Women’s Tennis Performer of the Week

UMBC's Adriana Fonseca (Bogota, Columbia/Mayor de los Andes) was named the America East Conference Women's Tennis Performer of the Week for the week ending April 17. Fonseca was a perfect 8-0 on the week at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles as UMBC won four straight matches. She improved her marks at No. 3 singles to 11-7 and her doubles mark to 9-8. In UMBC's toughest test of the week, a 4-2 win at Bucknell, Fonseca defeated Tanya Sichko, 6-2, 6-0. Fonseca has won ten straight singles matches for the Retrievers.

Joe Fowler Named America East Baseball Co-Rookie of the Week

UMBC baseball freshman Joe Fowler (Wilmington, Del./St. Marks) was named America East baseball Co-Rookie of the Week for the week ending April 17. Fowler extended his hitting streak to six games while batting .529 in five games for the Retrievers. He drove in nine runs and hit three doubles and his fourth home run of the year. Fowler is the third Retriever this season to earn a rookie of the week accolade from the conference.

Kali Shirk Named America East Rookie of the Week

UMBC softball’s Kali Shirk (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) was named the America East Rookie of the Week by the league office for the week ending April 17. The right-handed leadoff hitter batted a blistering .444, was perfect on the base paths stealing 3-or-3 attempts and scored five runs in as many games during the week for which she was honored.

Film by Lee Boot, Imaging Research Center, at MD Film Festival

Euphoria, a film by Lee Boot, associate director, Imaging Research Center, will be screened during the Maryland Film Festival (May 5-8). Euphoria addresses topics in neuroscience, psychology, anthropology and history related to the feeling of euphoria and what creates it.

JCET Research Image Featured on NASA Web Site

An image taken by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument, located on NASA’s Aura satellite and used by volcano expert Simon Carn and the JCET research team, was recently featured on NASA’s Web site as Image of the Day.

Timothy Nohe, Visual Arts, Wins Maryland State Arts Council Award

Timothy Nohe, assistant professor of visual arts, won a $6,000 Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) in the category “sculpture/installation.” Nohe was one of four UMBC faculty to win a 2005 MSAC award (previously mentioned in Insights): Stuart Smith (music composition), Renee Van Der Stelt (visual art) and Anna Rubin (music composition).

Tammi Thomas, techcenter@UMBC, Panelist at UB Dialog Series

Tammi Thomas, director of marketing and business development for the techcenter@UMBC, will be one of three panelists to talk on “Addressing Employment Through Job Creation,” on April 21 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the University of Baltimore. The discussion is the last of a three-part series, “Revitalizing Baltimore Through Public-Private Partnerships.”

By Tom Moore

UMBC’s Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery presents "On Assignment: Photographs by Arthur Leipzig," through June 18.

Leipzig, perhaps best known for his photo essays depicting life in New York in the 1940s, has spent a lifetime capturing the human condition through his photographs. "On Assignment" is the first major presentation to highlight the broad range of Leipzig’s astute photographic vision. Included are 70 photographs representing his most significant bodies of work either taken on assignment for major publications or for his own "self-assignments": children, New York, rural labor, winter fishing in the Atlantic, Pablo Casals, South Sudan, Mexico, pediatric hospitals, and Jewish Life. The show is organized by the Library Gallery and curated by Tom Beck and Cynthia Wayne, in collaboration with the photographer.

Throughout his career, Leipzig has viewed photography as an exciting way to both connect with the world and to separate from it. He has remarked: "I have been able to observe the world and myself. Photography has helped me to learn much about both," he said. At 86, Leipzig’s lifetime of learning is clearly visible in his photographs, a broad selection of which has been gathered into this exhibition.

Born in 1918, Leipzig came of age in the Depression, left school at the age of seventeen and took on an assortment of jobs, including truck driver, salesman, office manager and assembly line worker. While working at a wholesale glass plant, he seriously injured and lost the use of his right hand for 14 months, an event that propelled Leipzig into photography, beginning with studies at the Photo League and with Sid Grossman.

In 1942, Leipzig launched his career as photography assignment editor and staff photographer for PM, a newspaper that, like the Photo League, was people-oriented and “dared to tell the truth.” By 1947, Leipzig also had studied with Paul Strand, the eminent artist-photographer, and left PM to become a freelance photojournalist, a pursuit he continued even after 1963 when he began a 25-year teaching career at C.W. Post College, Long Island University. In recent years, exhibitions and books of Leipzig’s imagery have appeared with increasing frequency.

Not only did Leipzig photograph specifically for diverse publications such as Fortune, Look, Parade, and Natural History, but also for “self-assignments,” those that he gave to himself either with or without immediate expectations of publication. In either case, Leipzig’s primary subject always has been people who are famous primarily by virtue of having been photographed in the act of being human. His fascination with people is so pervasive that individuals almost invariably become icons of humanity in general with all beauties and imperfections clearly delineated.

Undoubtedly, his diverse experiences with many different kinds of people have taught him well that humanity is an exquisite source of inspiration for images. His photographs are almost entirely visceral responses to a chaotic world to which he has sought to provide order and structure.

In 2004, Leipzig was awarded the prestigious Lucie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Fine Art Photography. The spirit behind the annual Lucie award is to salute the achievements of the world’s finest photographers, discover new and emerging talent, and promote the appreciation of photography. Gordon Parks, the 2004 Lucie Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient observed, "[Leipzig’s photography] opens up our feelings to so many things, immeasurable things that have given license to his unbridled eye. His curiosity appears inexhaustible and keeps sprouting."

After its presentation at UMBC, the exhibition will travel to the Columbus Museum of Art, where it will be on view December 17, 2005 through March 11, 2006. A book by the same title is being published by Bulfinch Press.

The gallery is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 12 to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday from 12 to 8 p.m.; and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m.
Funding for "On Assignment" has been provided in part from an arts program grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Friends of the Library & Gallery.

By Eleanor Lewis

Distinguished University Professor of History Warren I. Cohen, one of the world’s leading experts on the history of American-East Asian relations, has received the 2005 University System of Maryland Regents’ Award for Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity.

"Warren Cohen is eminently deserving of this award, for he is simply one of the most distinguished and accomplished historians in the United States and a towering figure in the field of American foreign relations,” said John Jeffries, professor and chair of history. “Though his prolific and influential publications span a remarkable range of topics, he has made an especially large impact in the history of American-East Asian relations. And he is a superb teacher as well."

The first scholar-in-residence at the U.S. State Department’s National Training Center and a senior scholar in the Asia Program at the Smithsonian’s Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Cohen leads his field as a pioneer in the study of the history of American-Chinese relations. With his forthcoming book, America’s Failing Empire (Blackwell), Cohen examines the broader issue of American foreign policy from the end of the Cold War through the recent elections in Iraq. His most recent research has also focused on North Korea.

In 2004, Cohen received the Norman and Laura Graebner Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, a career achievement honor that recognizes a senior historian of U.S. foreign relations who has made significant contributions to the field through excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. Cohen is the ninth person ever to win the award, which is given every two years.

Cohen is the author of nine books and editor or co-editor of seven more. In addition to his scholarly publications, Cohen has published articles and book reviews in the Atlantic Monthly, the Los Angeles Times, the London Times Literary Supplement, and the Nation, as well as many other major newspapers. He is also a consultant for Voice of America.

At UMBC, Cohen was Presidential Research Professor from 2001 to 2004. He will semi-retire in May, but will continue to teach part-time at the University for the next three years.

Cohen and other 2005 Regents Awards recipients will be recognized during the Board of Regents meeting on Friday, April 8.

By Steffany Magid

Please note: Some publications require registration in order to read articles.

Christopher Corbett, English, in Style

English lecturer Christopher Corbett’s “Back Page” column in the May/June issue of Style magazine delves into the world of pampered pooches with a visit to Pikesville’s own fashion show for dogs

Thomas Cronin, Biology, in the National Geographic

Thomas Cronin, professor of biology, was listed as a scientific consultant in “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,” an article in the May issue of National Geographic.

Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in the Washington Post

Thomas Schaller, associate professor of political science, was quoted in an April 27 Washington Post story, “Cardin Announces Senate Bid,” about Maryland Representative Benjamin Cardin’s decision to run for senator.

Schaller was also a guest on Maryland Public Television’s “Political Roundtable” on April 22, where he discussed the minimum wage bill and other hot topics in Maryland politics.

He was also interviewed for the April 29 Gazette story, "Mfume gets cold shoulder from Dems."

Constantine Vaporis, History, in the Baltimore Sun

Constantine Vaporis, associate professor of history, was quoted in an April 24 Baltimore Sun story, “Owning up to World War II Actions,” about renewed Chinese criticism of Japan over the way the country has recognized the atrocities it committed during World War II.

UMBC Theatre, in the Howard County Times

UMBC’s current production of Much Ado About Nothing was reviewed in “‘Much Ado’: Giving Shakespeare a Shake” on April 21 in the Howard County Times.

By Steffany Magid

Cassie Bichy, Student Support Services, Featured Speaker at Mid-Atlantic Regional CRLA Conference

Cassie Bichy, communication specialist for Student Support Services, was a featured speaker at the Mid-Atlantic College Reading and Learning Association's (CRLA) 2005 conference in Charlottesville, Virginia on April 2. Her presentation, "When Does Work Life End and Home Life Begin?" was based on an article published this month in the Encyclopedia of Distance Learning and co-authored with Zane Berge, associate professor of instructional systems design, and Kathryn Nee, admissions coordinator for the Graduate School.

David Kim-Boyle, Music

Several papers and compositions by David Kim-Boyle, assistant professor of music, are being featured in conferences and performance events. His paper “Musical Score Generation” was presented at the Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States 2005 Conference in Muncie, Indiana and will be featured in the 2005 New Interfaces for Musical Expression Conference in Vancouver. Another paper, “Spectral Delays with Frequency Domain Processing,” will be included in the 2005 Spark Festival in Minnesota. His work “Valses and Etudes” for piano and computer was performed at the 2005 Florida Electroacoustic Music Festival and at the electroacoustic music conference in Muncie. Another work, “Triptych After Radiohead,” was selected for performance as part of the Los Angeles Sonic Odyssey Concert Series.

Center for Art and Visual Culture Receives Award for “White” Exhibit

The Center for Art and Visual Culture (CAVC) won first prize in the “Exhibition Catalogues” category at the American Association of Museums Publications Design Competition for “White: Whiteness and Race in Contemporary Art,” which debuted last December at the International Center of Photography in New York. Guenet Abraham, assistant professor of visual arts, conceived the catalogue, whose cover was designed by Franc Nunoo-Quarcoo, professor and chair of visual arts.

Geography and Environmental Systems Tree Planting Draws a Crowd

On Friday, April 22, approximately 120 students and community volunteers converged near the campus pond located in the UMBC Conservation and Environmental Research Area (CERA) to take part in an Earth Day tree planting event. Tammy Newcomer, a junior in geography and environmental systems, coordinated the event with the aid of several faculty members, including Claire Welty, director of the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE), who helped secure funding for the project along with the CERA Steering Committee and the Student Government Association. Organizations that participated in the event included CUERE, PTK Catonsville, Golden Key Honor Society, Students for Environmental Awareness (SEA), Gamma Theta Upsilon Honor Society, CEAS and several fraternities and sororities. The Collegiate Entrepreneur's Organization also helped with flyer designs and planning. Altogether, the event found news homes for 300 trees, which will provide wildlife habitat for native Baltimore animal species.